Estate CS Cabernet Sauvignon
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 15 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled ribeye steak, roasted lamb chops, braised beef short ribs
✨ Technical Specifications
The Fidelitas Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a profound expression of the Red Mountain AVA, sourced entirely from the winery's own estate vineyard planted in 2009. Located on a southwest-facing slope in one of Washington State's warmest and most distinctive appellations, the vines struggle in sandy loam soils over gravelly basalt, cooled by the relentless winds of the Columbia Valley. This harsh but ideal terroir forces the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to develop thick skins, resulting in wines of intense concentration, deep color, and robust, fine-grained tannins. Winemaker Charlie Hoppes utilizes precise, modern techniques and aging in premium French oak to craft a wine that beautifully balances the raw power of Red Mountain with an elegant, polished structure.
🍾 About the Producer
Fidélitas was founded in 2000 by veteran Washington winemaker Charlie Hoppes, formerly the head red winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle. Joined by his son Will Hoppes, the winery embodies an unyielding dedication to Bordeaux grape varieties cultivated exclusively within Washington State's prestigious Red Mountain AVA. Situated on warm, southwest-facing slopes, the region's intense sunlight, fierce winds, poor gravelly loam soils, and profound diurnal temperature fluctuations foster thick-skinned berries with formidable concentration and natural acidity. The estate vineyard, first planted in 2008 and farmed sustainably with Sustainable WA certification, is complemented by premier fruit partnerships with iconic sites such as Ciel du Cheval and Quintessence. Winemaking employs micro-lot fermentations in oak and neutral barrels, yielding structured, deeply expressive wines. The estate's benchmark portfolio is anchored by the flagship Optu Red and Optu White blends, vineyard-designated Cabernet Sauvignons, and varietal Malbecs.
🍇 Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon
🍷 ABV
Cabernet Sauvignon (typically 100%) or similar variations depending on vintage, but primarily Cabernet Sauvignon. Since exact percentages vary, it is best represented as Cabernet Sauvignon based on the estate's single-varietal focus for this bottling.